except freshman gop senator ted cruz isn't up for re-election for six years. >> great job with hagel. >> thank you. >> reporter: these texans are applauding their senator's head. turning performance after only one month in office. >> mr. cruz, no. >> reporter: joining only two others to vote against john kerry for secretary of state, aggressively defending gun rights, and trying to take down defense secretary nominee chuck hagel. >> have you been paid directly by a foreign government? >> i've covered the senate for a long time. it is unusual for a freshman to be this outspoken on a high-profile issue. >> at the end of the day, i was elected to represent 26 million texans and to speak the truth. you know, i think a lot of americans are tired of politicians in washington in both parties who play games. >> reporter: the 42-year-old cuban american, the first hispanic senator from texas, studied free-market principles and memorized the constitution as a teenager, thanks to his father, a cuban refugee. after princeton and harvard law, cruz became solicitor general of texas, arguing for stat